Brown spokesman Evan Westrup said Tuesday that Sutter was rushed to an animal hospital last week and underwent emergency surgery.

Veterinarians removed several masses suspected to be cancer from his intestines, lymph nodes and liver. Westrup says the Browns are awaiting biopsy results but "the prognosis is likely to be very poor."

Sutter is a 13-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi owned by Brown's sister, Kathleen Brown, until she moved out of state following Jerry Brown's election as governor in 2010.